Improvement in steam and other cocks or taps



R. JQ ORICKMER.' Steam and other Cook or Tap.

. q f No. 197,924; v Patented Dec. 1.1, 1877 F11-5 2- v Figi' MPETEHS.FHOTD-LITHUGRAPHER. WASilNGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

RICHARD JEx CRICKMER, or LONDON, ENGLANnAssiCNoE or CNE-HALF l HIS RIGHTTO JOHN EDWARD CAMPBELL KOGH, OF SAMEA PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM AND OTHER OCKS OR l'APS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,924, dated December11, 1877; application filed l August 31, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, RICHARD Jnx CRICK- MER, of London, in the county ofMiddlesex, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, have invented or discoveredcertainV new and useful Improvements in Steam and other Cocks or Taps;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings,and to the letters and iigures marked thereonth at is to'say:

My invention relates to an improved con` struction of steam andothercocks and taps, whereby these are prevented from sticking fast, owing tothe expansion of the metal on becoming heated, and also from becoming`leaky through wear. For this purposel the plug of the cock is made toiit loosely, and

Y y hasformed in it two or more recesses at those points of itscylindrical or coned surface which come opposite the passages or ways ofthe shell when it is turned into the closed position. Into theserecesses are iitted loose pieces or shields, fitting accurately againstthe chamber of the shell, and pressedagainst the latter by one or morehelical or other springs at the back of the shield.

By this arrangement, when the plug is turned soth-at the shields closethe inlet and outlet apertures of the shell, and steam or other iiuid orliquid pressure acts against one of them, it may, if sufficientlypowerful to overcome the action of the spring, leak past l the shieldinto the chamber of the shell but the fluid-pressure in the latter willtend to press the other loose shield against the outleti aperture, andthus cause it to close the latter effectually against any escape of uidor liquid.

If the inlet and outlet apertures, and consequently the shields, arediametrically opposite each other, I make the before-mentioned springspass through holes formed through the body of the plug above and belowthe passage or way of the plug, so that each spring acts simultaneouslyupon both shields, and the steam, in pressing the one shield away fromthe inlet-aperture, will cause the springs to exert additional vpressureupon the other shield in holding it against the outlet-aperture.

By the above described contrivance not only is the plug prevented fromsticking in the shell, but, as the shields are always caused by thesprings to fit tight against the shell, notwithstanding any wear of theparts, I am enabled to make the plug of cylindrical form, instead ofconical or tapering, as heretofore, and thus the unequal wear andtendency to leak attendant on the latter form is obviated.

The accompanying drawings represent a cock or tap constructed accordingto my invention.y

Figure 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, of thecock. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan through the line A B. Fig. 4 is aseparate view of the plug and fittings.

a is the shell of the cock. bis the plug, tting loosely in the shell a,and having two opposite recesses, e c. el d are shields or loose piecesin the recesses e c, fitting accurately against the chamber of theshell, and pressed against it by helical springs e e. These springs arepassed through holes ff in the body of the plug. g is the passage or waythrough the plug.

The other parts of the cock do not require explanation, and the workingof the cock will be fully understood by the description hereinbeforegiven.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The shields or loose pieces el d, in combii.

nation with the springs e e, and with the recesses e c in a tapered orcylindrical plug, sub- In witness whereof I, thel said RICHARD f -JExGRICKMER, have hereimto setv my hand this 3d day of August, 187 7.

R. J. ORIGKMER.

Witnesses:

I. C. MEWBURN, J. H. MCERING,

169 Fleet Street, London.

